


Blindsided

by Rexisbabe



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Blind Character, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Ahsoka Tano, Hurt/Comfort, Protective CT-7567 | Rex, Rating: PG13, rexsoka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rexisbabe/pseuds/Rexisbabe
Summary: When Ahsoka and Rex are assigned to lead a reconnaissance squad to gather intel regarding a Separatist base, the mission takes a turn and things quickly heat up, leaving Ahsoka blinded and alone with Rex as they try to find their way back home.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 59
Kudos: 213





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ^_^ This is my first ever TCW fic! Based off a rtte episode, hope you enjoy!

“Alright, listen up, soldiers,” called Captain Rex, standing tall with his hands reached behind his back. The General and his Padawan stood at his side, listening attentively to the Captain’s briefing while Clone Troopers gathered around the holotable projecting a three-dimensional image of the planet above its surface. The projection of the sphere they were currently standing on rotated slowly while information popped up next to it for all eyes to see as Rex pressed a few buttons that zoomed closer on the planet. “Our initial planetary scan indicated the location of the enemy camp in this general area. The locals have been filing multiple complaints about a Separatist occupation on neutral territory. Our task is to figure out what those Seppies are up to and clear the place as soon as possible.”

“However, the flora mass in the area the enemy has set base is too dense for our scopes to see past and get a good view of what we’re dealing with,” added Anakin, taking a step forward while he addressed the squadron of troopers awaiting their orders. “That’s why we’ll be sending a reconnaissance squad to investigate the base and have a better look at the situation we’re faced with. Only then will we engage their forces; as soon as we know what we’re up against.” Anakin turned to Ahsoka who stood close by his side with her hands crossed over her chest while she studied the zoom-in of the planet, equally awaiting precise instruction on the task. “Commander Tano will lead the recon.”

Ahsoka raised her gaze to meet her Master’s, nodding confidently about her attributed role. 

“Alright, men,” called Rex, puffing out his chest, chin raised high as he met the trooper’s gazes. “Move out!”

The soldiers put on their helmets and grabbed their weapons as instructions required before jogging away in a two-filed formation. Fives, Jesse, Tup, and Kix took part in the squadron. Rex watched them go while he remained with the General and the Padawan. Anakin shut down the holotable before meeting his apprentice’s gaze once more, a proud smile shining in the blue of his eyes. 

“Be careful out there,” he warned lightly. “We don’t exactly know what we’re up against.”

“Don’t worry about me, Master,” said Ahsoka, rolling her eyes at his worry concerning her safety. She reached a hand to her waist, shifting her weight. “It’s not exactly my first recon.”

“Yeah, but I’m usually always there by your side,” said Anakin, feeling as torn as always to let his Padawan grow and be independent of him. The two of them had run so many missions side-by-side; letting her go on her own, even for a reconnaissance mission, was always sort of a challenge for him. 

“You can’t always be there to protect me, Master,” said Ahsoka, smiling warmly up at him while Anakin fled her gaze like he’d been caught red-handed. “You know that, right?”

“I’m afraid I do,” he admitted before straightening up again, smiling. 

Rex shifted his weight, standing by her side. “Commander?” he prompted after looking over his shoulder as the men waited for them to lead the group. 

Ahsoka nodded before turning to Anakin again. “Don’t mope around too much while we’re gone,” she said, gesturing his way while she turned around and followed after the Captain. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of work to do around here.”

“Just stay safe out there, Ahsoka,” called Anakin when she turned his back to him. “We’re counting on you and your report.”

Ahsoka twisted around and stopped again. Rex followed her lead attentively. “With Rex by my side?” she said, bumping her fist playfully against his shoulder plate. Rex eyed his shoulder for a moment. Ahsoka smiled up at him with those sky-blue eyes of hers. “When am I not safe?”

Rex was more than glad he had slipped his helmet on so no one would be able to read his facial expression. If he hadn’t, everyone standing in this camp would’ve halted to notice his skin coloration shift. He was quickly pulled out of his sudden wooziness when the General replied.

“Good luck out there.”

Ahsoka turned on her heels again and followed closely as they approached the squad standing ready for their next orders on the border of the camp, all set to head out.

The squadron moved out with Rex and Ahsoka at the lead, blasters on stand-by should some creature decide to jump them the further they walked into the woodland made of vines and alien flora. They traveled beneath a canopy the deeper they went. Ahsoka admired the plant life, understanding how their scopes couldn’t penetrate through. The world became a few shades darker with the restriction of sunlight. If someone came out and told them they were traveling underground, they’d probably believe them. Their path was occasionally lit by the few sun rays which managed to penetrate the canopy, the bright patches snitching on how vibrant this part of the world would be in full daylight. 

The atmosphere changed when thunder rumbled in the distance, rattling the ground like a massive explosion had gone off somewhere in the distance. It didn’t take much time before droplets fell out of the sky and splattered on their heads, chasing away the sun like a ferocious predator chased another to steal their meal. The canopy offered protection for the most part, but the rain still managed to spill through much like daylight had. It was only a matter of time before they were walking on a path made of mud and puddles, and Ahsoka wished the weather on this planet was a little more predictable so she could’ve considered bringing a jacket along just in case. But it was too late now, and they had a mission to complete. 

The thunder growled on above their heads like loud machinery. They were getting closer to the enemy’s occupied sector with every step. It was when they neared a ridge that Ahsoka lifted her hand to halt her troopers, listening above the rain and thunder. She was surprised she had missed the sound of working gears camouflaged among the many sounds grumbling in her ears. The flora was even denser than when they’d set foot into the wildland and Ahsoka knew they couldn’t be that far off. She rose her wrist before her and pressed on her portable holo-map, their position indicating they were nearby the area. 

“We’re close,” she said, narrowing her eyes on the ridge as she walked closer and crawled, keeping low. 

Sure enough, they’d found the enemy base. Ahsoka’s jaws parted when her eyes landed on the Separatist defenses edging the base; defenses that would usually not be present for a base this small in size. Droids roamed the area, their repetitive clanks echoing all the way up to their ears. Ahsoka’s gaze rose to the canopy above, watching the rain come through the ceiling like an overflowing barrage. No wonder they couldn’t see a thing from the atmosphere. She couldn’t even see the sky. Trees towered high above them like masts of a building, vines dangling like strings pulled from a fabric. The electrical signature had been the only indication of the Separatists’ presence in this sector.

Rex and Fives edged closer to the border of the ridge on their knees and elbows next to the Commander to have a look at the enemy base too. The mud dirtied their armor, but sanitation was not part of the top ten in their list of current concerns as they spied on the enemy down below. 

Fives pulled out his reliable scope and pressed them against the visor of his helmet. He adjusted the settings, zooming in for an even closer look at what they were dealing with. Rex flipped down his rangefinder to have a look as well, eyes narrowed under his helmet as he analyzed the scene.

“Heh,” said Fives, removing the binoculars from his face. “Good thing we didn’t come in with the gunships. Looks like they have anti-aircraft cannons protecting the base.”

“And at least two companies of B1-series battle droids,” added Rex, flipping his rangefinder back up as he turned to face the Commander. “That’s quite a security force out here in the middle of nowhere.”

Ahsoka studied the ground for a moment before returning her gaze on the camp below, furrowing her markings. She was perplexed. “You’re right, Rex,” she said, eyes darting around as she scanned the area. “They’re probably protecting something nearby.”

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t look like they want it found, or even seen,” said Rex, sliding off the ridge. They joined the rest of the squadron waiting patiently for their next move. 

“So what now?” asked Tup, shrugging.

“We’ll have to go in closer to have a better look,” said Ahsoka, sharing a look with Rex and Fives who nodded their agreement. “Come on. Follow me.”

The group circled down the ridge, keeping to the cover of the trees until they were unwisely close. The terrain became even denser with undergrowth. Rain still poured. Footsteps printed in the mud behind them, marking their passage. 

Ahsoka pressed her back against one of the massive trunks stretching high to the sky. The troopers mimicked her move, looking out before confirming it safe to observe. She stepped out of her hiding spot again, looking at the camp from a different angle, but still high in ground-level. They were dangerously close; close enough to be spotted and have their position compromised by the enemy. But they also had a much better view, and Ahsoka’s eyes widened at the sight, finally able to count the droids and see the equipment the Separatists had brought along. She still wondered what business these droids could have on a planet as unpopulated as this one. The base was heavy with machines. There were lots of droids and lots of tanks. This wasn’t some hostage situation. There wasn’t a village of locals anywhere for miles, and if there were hostages down there, she couldn’t hear or see them. She didn’t believe there was a single life-form at all in that Separatist base. It was strictly machinery.

“This operation is huge…” she said, hand resting against the trunk as she observed closely, dumb-founded. 

“Commander,” said Fives, and Ahsoka turned around as the ARC Trooper addressed her, offering her a data-pad. “We checked the results of our scan on the base. There aren’t any heat signatures indicating the presence of hostages or any living thing. The entire sector is clear.”

“That doesn’t make any sense…” said Ahsoka, at a loss. She reached her hand to her chin while the thought on it, returning her attention on the base itself. “Then what are they guarding? What are they _protecting_?”

“I don’t know, sir,” said Rex, joining her side to overlook the sector. “But there’s no way we’re getting any closer to that Separatist camp without getting detected.”

If it had been up to Ahsoka, she would’ve gone riskier and gotten the answers she sought right away. But they were already closer than they should be, and she wasn’t putting her entire squadron in harm’s way, especially not under her orders. Ahsoka glanced at Rex and nodded grimly, turning to the rest of her squad.

“Alright,” she said. “We’ll head back with what intel we have; see if Anakin and the other Generals can make something out of it with our report alone.” She turned around for one last check on the Separatist base, sensing there was something in plain sight they were missing. But she wasn’t keeping her squad this close to the enemy a moment longer and turned around again. “We’re done here.”


	2. Chapter 2

Ahsoka and her squad made their way back on the main path they’d initially borrowed. They had been extremely careful not to draw scopes on them. But even after taking all the necessary precautions, Ahsoka still had to halt and twist around in alarm at the sound of metallic clanking. She held her hand up, commanding her troopers to freeze. She listened attentively, having difficulty locating the source of the sound with the rain still pouring endlessly and drowning the growl of machinery. Rex pulled out his blasters, standing back to back with his Commander while Fives and Jesse knelt, weapons raised at the undergrowth surrounding them. The remaining of the troopers were equally alert, blaster scopes raised to their eye as they paid close attention to their surroundings. The stillness only lasted so long before blasts lit up the gloomy woodland.

The squad turned on its heels, firing the moment the Separatist droids appeared through the flora.

“Defensive formation!” shouted Rex, automatically positioning himself behind Ahsoka as she grabbed onto her lightsabers clipped to her belt, holding the hilts of her weapons horizontally before her. She turned them on, allowing the yellow and green to glow brightly against the dim lighting. She swung her sabers, deflecting the enemy fire swiftly while Rex fired under her cover, making use of every window she threw his way. 

The droid units approached in formation, indifferent as their fire deflected back their way. Troopers fired without hesitation, taking down a good amount of them with the protection of the Jedi Padawan preventing almost every blast from shooting past her and hitting one of her own.

They took out a satisfying amount of B1-series and persisted confidently until the platoon was eliminated. Silence, apart from the rain, settled back down. Ahsoka looked out as smoke rose from the irreparable battle droids a distance away, watching out should one of them still have its circuits running and blast their way while they stood unsuspectingly. When nothing happened, she turned around to the troopers who gathered.

“Is everyone okay?” she asked, coming up to Rex and to the rest of her squadron who nodded confirmation.

“All in one piece, sir,” said Fives, twirling his blasters on his indexes before holstering them back to his sides.

“Strange that those Seppies knew exactly where to find us…” noted Jesse, holding his blaster close, eyes narrowed as he scanned their surroundings warily.

“Those Clankers must’ve had all-time working thermal cameras to know we were here,” said Tup, unhesitant with his theory.

“Then we have to keep moving,” said Ahsoka grimly, a dark shade washing over her eyes. “Before they send another platoon.”

Rex nodded and ordered the troopers to keep moving, leaving behind the mess. Ahsoka followed after her squad, looking over her shoulder, markings furrowed. Something didn’t feel right. Her list of questions had only doubled, and her mind swirled like a whirlpool. Those Separatists knew their location. They knew where to find them, and Tup was probably right about the thermal cameras keeping watch on the base. But unless they were constantly scanning the area, there’s no way those droids could’ve tracked them down so fast that easily. And if that was the case, their security system was even more enhanced than she previously thought. The base was kept at max security. But for what purpose?

Ahsoka’s eyes widened again at the sound of clanking, and she pulled her lightsabers out again just in time to block another series of enemy blasts. Metal rung as more droids paced past the smoke of the previous platoon laying defeated in the mud.

“I don’t think they’re letting us off the hook that easily, sir!” shouted Rex above the shots.

Ahsoka adeptly blocked the blasts, but even with all her set of skills, she wouldn’t be able to stand alone against the incoming platoons. Her lightsabers wouldn’t be enough against all that firepower. She was quickly growing overwhelmed, even with her troopers taking out the enemy. Rex was still loyally standing at her side. He took a shot to the shoulder pad the moment she looked back at him, misbalancing him from where he knelt. They wouldn’t make it like this.

“Everyone!” she shouted over her shoulder, loud above the blasts and splattering rain. “Run!”

“I’m staying with you, sir!” said Rex, recovering before continuing blasting the droids ahead.

Ahsoka didn’t have the chance to order him off and kept focusing on blocking the shots while her squadron ran for safety.

The red flag suggesting a full retreat never waved more frantically when she spotted the tank approaching through the middle of the muddy path. Her eyes widened as she watched the barrel aim high. The sharp sound of the gearing locking in place sent her heart to the pit of her stomach. But Ahsoka didn’t wait too long to react and Force-knocked the first row of battle droids that were most effective with their blasts. It gave her a window wide enough to twist around and Force-lift Rex before propelling him a good twenty yards down the path to flee.

Rex wasn’t prepared for it and before he could refuse, he was already meeting the ground again, staining his armor with mud. He recovered quickly and pushed himself back up with a groan. He looked out frightfully as Ahsoka kept deflecting the shots a good distance away. His heart sank as he watched her struggle and lose balance. It sunk even further when he noticed the tank among the droids.

“Ahsoka! Get out of there!” he shouted without thinking, completely forgetting to address her by her title.

But Ahsoka ignored him and Force-knocked another row of droids the moment the tank fired with a deafening rumble. Ahsoka focused on the bright ball of white plasma coming down on her. She reached her hands up to it, shutting her eyes tight as she centered her energy, managing to redirect it to hit a few yards away. But the blast was powerful enough to affect her despite the distance, and her eyes widened as she watched the plasma hit the earth. The explosion went off brighter than a lightning bolt. The shock-wave spread rapidly and powerfully, throwing her back. She flew through the air for a second or two before meeting the ground hard where she remained unmoving.

Horror flashed across Rex's face hidden under the helmet. He turned to his men as they kept firing, suffering injuries without the Commander to shield them. 

“Get back to base!” he shouted, waving at them to get out of here. “That’s an order!”

The men didn’t complain and made a run for it while Rex hurried the other way, refusing to abandon the Commander so easily.

Ahsoka groaned as she pressed her palms against the cold mud, too disoriented to fend for herself. Her ears rung sharply from the explosion, but she was still conscious. Rex collapsed on his knees next to her as the enemy fire picked up again, trusting fate he wouldn’t be shot straight through the heart. It felt like time slowed down as he slipped his hands beneath her, lifting her off the ground with ease. Her montrals pressed against the chest plate of his armor as he made a run for it, working his limbs to save them both.

“I got you, Commander…” he panted.

He reached for the cover of the undergrowth thickening on both sides of the path, straying off the enemy’s visuals. He carried her deeper. He stumbled and ducked the vines, working his way further in until he deemed the surroundings safe. He panted loudly, feeling his heart pump blood throughout his body from his fingertips to his ears. The Captain stopped in his tracks as he turned around to make sure they weren’t being pursued and delicately set the Commander down, leaning her back against the large trunk of a tree. She winced, grimacing her pain. Rex wished he had Kix by his side right now to check her up. 

Ahsoka blinked her eyes, markings furrowed from a certain pain Rex wished he could locate and help with. He hated seeing her like this, even more so when he didn’t know what to do. He took his helmet off, putting it down next to him.

“Commander…” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there. “Can you hear me?”

Ahsoka groaned again, carefully reaching her forehead with her fingertips. He could tell she was slowly returning to her senses as her expression softened. She rose her head, blinking multiple times. Her eyes darted around like she was lost and couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here.

“Rex?” she called out hopefully.

“I’m right here,” he replied gently.

Something wasn’t right. She was searching for him, but couldn’t seem to find him. Her body language suggested uneasiness as she straightened up. She never met his gaze, and yet, he was crouching right in front of her.

“W-Where? I-I can’t see you,” she said, her voice rising and giving away her distress. She reached her hand forward, sensing his shoulder pad with her palm. She ran her hand on the armor’s surface as if she had trouble identifying the material to the mere touch. She searched furthermore, brushing her fingertips against his face before grabbing onto his forearm, desperate to hold on to something. She narrowed her blank eyes, searching with her sense of sight. She frowned again, and Rex could tell she was perplexed. “Why is it so dark out here?”

“Uh… it’s not,” replied Rex, hesitant before he answered her while he slowly realized what was happening.

“What are you talking about? It’s pitch black,” she persisted, eyes wide, desperately trying to get a glimpse of light. But no matter how hard she tried to see, it was to no avail. There was only darkness for her.

“Ahsoka…” he exhaled, wishing he could put it into words. 

“Rex?” she called out louder, pushing herself up to her feet, hands reached out to find him again. She grew more frantic, and Rex didn’t know how to fix this in the least. “Rex! I-I can’t see you!”

Rex straightened up, hesitant to reach out to her and startle her even more. She was undoubtedly in shock and scared. Rex couldn’t remember ever seeing the Commander like this, and he was even more clueless as to how to handle it. He was a Captain, not a medic. But he still grabbed her upper arm before she tripped and hurt herself even more. She gasped at the sudden touch, placing her hand right over his. She held onto him for comfort and guidance. She slowly turned around to face him, head down, eyes wide and scared. She raised her gaze without meeting his, the extreme anxiety flashing across her face making Rex equally frightened.

“Rex,” she said, her voice breaking as his name slipped out of her mouth. “What is happening to me?”

“Whatever it is… I’m sure it’s only temporary,” he said slowly, trying to sound reassuring. He blinked a few times, recalling what had knocked her off her feet and caused this effect. “It was that blast. It… _blinded_ you. I think I know what those Seppies have been doing out here… That tank’s model isn’t one I’ve seen before. They must be testing new weapons in various environments, and that was probably one of them.”

Ahsoka exhaled sharply. “We have to contact Master Skywalker. Let him know what we found and get an evac,” she said, grasping onto his forearms tighter.

Rex sighed regretfully. “With all due respect, Commander, I don’t believe we can do that,” he said, watching her frown in confusion. “You saw those anti-craft cannons. They’ll be blasted out of the sky before they ever reach us. And besides,” He tapped on his comlink at his wrist, the line nothing but static. “Comms are down.”

Ahsoka sighed heavily in discouragement, letting her shoulders drop. “I sure hope the others made it out okay…” she said, trying to view the positive side of it all.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” said Rex, placing a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, dragging her attention back on him. “Thanks to you.”

Rex rose his gaze back in the direction of the main road, scanning the undergrowth for droids. He had no doubt they’d come looking for them in an attempt to eliminate them. A grim look washed over his face. He picked up his helmet off the ground, slipping it back over his head. He took hold of the Jedi Padawan’s hand to guide her, pulling out his blaster for precaution.

“We better keep moving,” he said. “Those Clankers won’t stay astray forever.”


	3. Chapter 3

They’d been walking, trying to find the main road again. The forest’s undergrowth was incredibly unpleasant to travel through. Roots crawled out from the surface of the earth and Rex constantly had to warn Ahsoka to watch her step while he guided her by the hand. He was trying to make it as easy as possible for her to walk, zigzagging through the growth and seeking the less energy-consuming trail. They’d been going on like this for almost an hour before Rex decided to stop. He had noticed Ahsoka start slowing down, her steps growing heavier. Under other circumstances, stopping in a situation like this would’ve been ridiculous. But his Commander wasn’t at her best, and with her sight-loss, her wellbeing was the top of his concerns.

“Maybe we should take a break,” he said, turning halfway around to help her over the wide root sticking out from the ground. He held her hand high for support until her two feet were back on the humid soil. Rex proceeded to put his blaster away and remove his helmet.

“Rex, we can’t worry about me right now,” she said, denying the idea completely. Her authoritative tone was unaffected by the blast. Her markings furrowed in a stern look while she turned away from him. “We have to warn Anakin as soon as possible.”

“There’s also you to think about, Commander,” said Rex, countering her demand even if she proved persistent. Ahsoka turned his way, crossing her arms over her chest, obviously displeased she was in a spot of vulnerability. Rex sighed. “Look, I’m no medic. But wearing yourself down like this won’t do anyone any good. The camp is still at least 5 miles away, and in your current state, you need to keep your energy up; take breaks.”

“I’m _fine_ , Rex. You can stop worrying now,” reassured Ahsoka, but she was lying.

She was far from fine. She’d just lost her sight; not to mention they were in an alien jungle, on enemy territory with lots of droids after them and without any working communication links to call for reinforcements. But she swallowed her insecurities and put up a tough show.

“You know I can’t do that, Commander,” said Rex, unable to resist a smirk while she rolled her eyes.

“Very funny,” she said, returning her gaze on him. “But I’m okay. I can keep going. I might be blind, but everything else is still intact.”

She walked off to that statement as if to prove she could handle herself. Rex watched her go, a hand reached out to her when he watched her walk over a root. She instantly tripped. Rex wasn’t tardy to react and leaped to grab her before she met the forest floor and caused further damage. He grabbed her by the waist the moment she lost her balance, ending up just slowing the fall rather than stopping it completely. He tripped on the same root when he reached for her, resulting in him falling forward too. He wrapped his arm around her to shield her neck and head as they both fell with a surprised yelp.

Rex grunted, shaking his head sideways. He removed his hands from beneath her and pressed them on the cold ground to push himself up, distancing his body from hers while he stared down into her blank sky-blue eyes. Rex froze, slowly registering the situation. He panted quietly a moment longer before finally managing to exit words out of his mouth.

“A-Are you… okay?” he asked, attempting an awkward smile on his lips even though he knew she couldn’t see his face.

“I’m fine…” replied Ahsoka, smiling awkwardly in her turn, eyes discretely darting around as silence followed. She felt Rex’s gaze burning through her flesh. “Maybe we ought to keep going?”

“Uh, yes, that’s exactly what I, uh, was going to suggest,” he stammered, pushing himself back up to his feet before helping her along.

He grabbed his helmet he’d dropped, brushing off the soil off its surface before putting it back on. He noticed Ahsoka straighten up suddenly, retrieving her head like a prey picking up noise in the distance.

“Do you hear that?” she asked, keeping her voice low and steady while her body turned to face the source of the sound.

“Uh, I don’t hear anything…” said Rex slowly, frowning in confusion while he scanned their surroundings.

“Something’s coming our way,” said Ahsoka, all attention currently relying on her sense of hearing. She could sense vibrations in the ground and the distant clanking that could not be confused.

Rex couldn’t hear it, but he trusted her judgment and turned his back on her, blasters pulled out and standing by. It was only a matter of seconds before Rex started hearing the distant clanking. He never would’ve heard it if Ahsoka hadn’t noticed it first and pointed it out.

“They’re coming this way,” noted Rex over his shoulder before turning back around, holstering one of two blasters to grab her hand again. “We have to move.”

Ahsoka was yanked forward as Rex broke into a run. Ahsoka focused on the sound of his stride, counting every single step to calculate her own. She trusted him to know when to jump, when the duck, to turn right and left. She was attentive, without seeing. There was no time for hesitation and overthink every step.

Rex slowed down and ducked behind a large trunk. He peaked to see the droid units through the trees, hoping they hadn’t appeared on their visuals. He panted under the helmet while Ahsoka stood attentively at his side, paying special attention to the clanking sounds. But she didn’t hear any metal noise. Instead, she heard a loud bang and the alarming sizzling ring from above. Her eyes flashed wide to the sky.

“Rex!” she shouted, holding her ground. “Above you!”

Rex snapped around to look up through the canopy, watching the bright white glow of a plasma missile coming down on them. He didn’t hesitate to react and wonder which way to go. He dove and swept Ahsoka off his feet, throwing her over his shoulder as he broke into a run, fleeing the missile’s destination.

They heard the loud whine as the plasma pierced through the canopy, vaporizing the leaves and everything in the area. The bright glare of the explosion lit up the undergrowth like a shot in the dark. The shock wave spread out in a heartbeat. Rex was knocked by the powerful gust. He hit a large tree trunk with a sickening thud, collapsing to the ground with a pained groan. Ahsoka met the cold and hard ground a short distance away after Rex lost his hold on her. She shook her head as she pushed her body off the forest floor, feeling the vibrations in the earth through her hands.

Rex took a little longer to recover from the impact and when he did; his head snapped Ahsoka’s way, more concerned for her than he was about himself. The sound of clanking alerted him and Rex watched the droid units march in, blasters held at the ready between their metallic fingers. He pulled out his blasters, aiming at the B1 units. He watched with a racing heart while Ahsoka stood there, blind and vulnerable to their shots. She was listening and attentive, but Rex knew she wouldn’t stand a chance against all those droids.

“Ahsoka!” shouted Rex, capturing her attention. Her head snapped his way, her blank eyes narrowing at the mention of her name. “There’s a thick concentration of foliage a few paces to your left! Hide in it, you’ll be off their visuals!”

“ _Hide?_ ” echoed Ahsoka, her tone giving away how offended she was with the suggestion. “I’m not gonna _hide!_ ”

“Commander--!” tried Rex, but he was cut off when the droids started blasting his way. He ducked the enemy fire, pressing his back against a truck, blasters raised. He took a deep breath before stepping back out into the open, blasting those droids’ circuits before they could press on the trigger once more.

More blasts came his way and Rex ducked back for cover, repeating the process. He stepped out again, but this time, he was met with the sight of droids rising from the ground. They hovered for a second before folding onto themselves, sparks flying as their circuit crushed. They dropped back on the ground with a clatter and Rex lowered his weapons, slowly turning to Ahsoka. He watched her retrieve her hands, a severe look painting her face. She straightened up and turned his way, nodding.

Rex remained speechless.

Distant clanking and radio came through the trees again and Rex easily guessed more units were on their way. They needed to move before they were caught in a tight spot again. Rex holstered his blasters before approaching the Commander, sweeping her over his shoulder again without awaiting permission.

“Urgh! Rex!” she complained, slamming her fist against the back of his armor. “Put me down!”

Rex knew he ought to ignore her protests and protect her at all cost, even if it meant disobeying her orders. But Rex couldn’t help himself but obey, waiting till they were off the enemy’s scopes to set her back on her feet. He made sure she was fully balanced before letting go of her shoulders.

“I can handle myself fine!” she said, throwing his hands off her, aggressive in her manners.

Rex understood she was upset, especially in her condition putting her in a situation of exposure like this one. She was a Jedi Padawan. She was Ahsoka Tano, his Commander. She’d gone through so much, but this was probably something she never expected to happen. Rex didn’t want her feeling like she was incapable, but he also couldn’t allow himself to let her get hurt on his watch.

“Commander, I was just trying to protect you, is all,” said Rex, reaching his hand out to her again. But he held back, knowing it might only upset her more.

“I don’t _need_ protecting!” she said, her markings unmasking her emotions. “I can handle myself just fine. Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I’m helpless.”

“I completely agree, Commander,” said Rex before gesturing behind him. “But there’s an entire platoon after us, and they will not stop until they have us both. I’m only one soldier. Fighting those Clankers is suicide. I should know.”

Ahsoka didn’t answer, undoubtedly frustrated. She raised her gaze on him, guessing his eye level as best as she could. Rex sighed, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

“With all due respect, Commander,” he said, trying to sound a little more authoritative. “You are in no condition to fight. And I cannot allow myself to watch you get injured furthermore… or worse. The General will never forgive me if I willingly let you get hurt. So, I ask, that you follow my lead until we’re back to camp.”

Ahsoka tightened her lips, displeased. Rex thought she might counter him again, and he promised himself he wouldn’t comply with any further orders should she try putting herself in harm’s way again.

But Ahsoka only sighed, “Sir, yes, sir.”


	4. Chapter 4

Anakin had picked up that something had gone wrong the moment he saw Ahsoka and Rex absent from the squad he had sent out for a reconnaissance mission. He had demanded reports from the soldiers that had formed the squadron. They had confirmed that the Captain had ordered them back to base before he’d taken off in another direction. A few troopers had claimed there’d been a concussive blast that had been the reason for their retreat, and Anakin had begun to worry even more. He’d tried convincing himself that Ahsoka and Rex were probably just side-tracked and were on their way back right now, but without confirmation of his suspicions, he could not rest. He didn’t know, and he had no way to either. His mind ran wild with assumptions. What if they’d been captured? What if they were held hostage right now? He knew that as a Jedi, he shouldn’t be forming attachments to either his Captain and Padawan or any being in particular. He knew how many rules he’d broken, but he’d never faced the consequences of his actions for far. He’d always thought it wrong to ignore his feelings. He had lost track of how many times he was warned about mixing his emotions with his judgment. But Anakin wasn’t letting go so easily. If it been up to another General, they probably would’ve filed them missing in action before proceeding with the job at hand. The clone troopers that had returned had filed a rich enough report concerning the enemy camp for them to carry on and move forward with their plan. They knew the exact coordinates, the position of their defenses, as well as their numbers and unit models. But Anakin wasn’t giving up on his Padawan and Captain so soon.

“Ahsoka,” he called through his comlink for the tenth time, trying to get even a faint voice through. “Ahsoka, come in.” But the link was nothing but static. Anakin sighed, turning it off. He turned to Fives, standing patiently by the General and the droid projecting Obi-Wan Kenobi’s hologram. “She’s still not responding. Neither is Rex.”

“Comms are probably just jammed,” said Fives, holding his helmet under his arm.

“Yeah, well, I’m not leaving this up to chance. Whether it be the comms or not,” said Anakin, crossing his arms over his chest as to hint he wasn’t open for discussion on the subject. “If Ahsoka and Rex are in trouble, I have to go after them.”

“Anakin, it might be wiser to stay put for once,” suggested Obi-Wan, his hologram occasionally glitching.

“That’s my Padawan and Captain out there, Master,” said Anakin, an edge to his tone as he balled his fists to his sides. “If they got caught—”

“Anakin,” warned Obi-Wan, and Anakin lifted his gaze to meet his challengingly. “You cannot allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. You know that.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” he asked uncompromisingly, widening his arms. “Sit back and wait, hoping they’ll eventually turn up? Something’s wrong, I can feel it.”

“And rushing in with so little knowledge of what awaits your beyond those lines would be foolish,” said Obi-Wan to which Anakin sighed frustratingly. Obi-Wan paused before continuing patiently. “You know Ahsoka, Anakin. You know she can take care of herself. Besides, Rex is with her. Those are two remarkable fighters we’re talking about.” 

“We don’t even know if they’re together or not, even less if they’re injured or captured,” continued Anakin, feeling the fire in his core prompting him to act. Obi-Wan held his glare, trying to make him see the bigger picture.

“She’s a determined little one, Anakin,” said Obi-Wan, taking a gentler tone. “She’s your Padawan after all. She’ll find her way back. As will Rex.”

Anakin didn’t add anything else when Obi-Wan nodded farewell, ending the projection. The droid beeped before strolling away.

Anakin didn’t hesitate and turned to face Fives who straightened up, attentive for his General’s command.

“Fives, gather your best men. I want a search party out there effective immediately,” ordered Anakin, his command strict and clear without a trace of dithering even after General Kenobi’s word of warning.

“But, General Kenobi, sir?” asked Fives, but Anakin cut him off before he could add more on the other General’s advice.

“I just want you to scout beyond the lines, see if you can find them, or at least get a signal on their position,” said Anakin, holding the ARC Trooper’s attentive gaze. “They could need an evac. If you don’t find anything within the next 6 hours, come straight back to base and we’ll move forward from there.”

“Yes, sir,” said Fives, nodding firmly before proceeding with his newly assigned task.

Anakin nodded without another word and turned his back to him, leaving the ARC Trooper to join Tup, Jesse, and Kix gathered at the edge of the camp. They were the most experienced troopers of the company that had been initially sent for this mission, and Fives knew they were the obvious choice for this search.

The sun was going down by then and their surroundings were ever more darkened, leaving them to the gloomy atmosphere of the planet. And without a moon, the sky was even darker. The only biological source of lighting was the fluorescent shine the vegetation generated, bringing some life to the darkness with their luminous colors.

“General seemed a bit on edge,” said Jesse as they walked down the path, holding their weapons closely.

“It’s been almost a whole rotation since we left for that recon with the Commander and Captain,” said Fives. “Tano and Rex never returned. He’s just worried for them, that’s all.”

“That’s why we’re out here,” said Tup, joking lightheartedly.

“You think they made it alive back there?” asked Jesse, speaking his thoughts out loud.

“I can’t be sure,” replied Fives, shaking his head sideways slowly. He wanted to believe it as much as Anakin believed in him and his small squad to find Ahsoka and Rex. “Can’t confirm anything. So far, they’re just missing, is all. Though, we’d be lucky to find them in this terrain. This planet reminds me of Umbara…”

“Yeah, lost a lot of men that day,” said Kix, looking down regretfully.

“Hopefully we can find the Captain and the Commander alive,” continued Fives, straightening up a little. “I can’t imagine otherwise.”

“You think those Clankers take prisoners?” wondered Jesse, tilting his head to the side curiously.

“I can’t imagine if that happened,” said Tup, an edge of concern in his tone like he was being confronted by his greatest fear. “I’d rather die on the battlefield than be a prisoner of war.”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions, boys,” said Fives, looking over his shoulder, trying to sound reassuring so they could focus on the job and keep those dark thoughts at bay. “We’ll find them. We have to.”


	5. Chapter 5

Trying to find their way back to base wasn’t easy when all turned around. Rex and Ahsoka had strayed from the main path they had originally borrowed to flee the Separatist scopes, but that also made their travel-time much longer, if not doubled. It was dark by then with the sphere’s sun gone, leaving them to the vivid fluorescent glow of the vegetation. It was much quieter, almost serene as nightlife woke up for its routine. All they had to guide them in the right direction was a glitching holomap. With all their detours, they had strayed off their way multiple times.

Ahsoka walked ahead with Rex following closely by, a blaster pulled out for precaution. He had his flashlight turned on on his helmet, lighting up the gloomy alien forest. If it wasn’t for the fluorescent lights biologically produced by the wildlife, the world would be black and white, drained from all colours. And even with his light on, he still managed to miscalculate his steps over roots or forget about the existence of vines.

Ahsoka had been listening to Rex occasionally mumbling under his breath every time he got tangled or nearly tripped. She couldn’t help the strings pulling on the corners of her mouth. Rex regained his balance before straightening up again, resulting in a branch slamming in the visor of his helmet. He groaned annoyingly while Ahsoka kept going.

“Commander, wait, you can’t—” he started, hand reaching out to her while he dealt with his situation. The branch slapped back against his face.

Ahsoka snickered humorously, stopping to turn and face him. She walked up to him, easily making her way over roots and ducking the branches and vines. She helped him out of his mess. 

“Thanks,” he said, brushing off the leaves and trailing plants off his mud-stained armour. He was amazed how she could move with so much ease, especially in an environment like this one. He had all five senses intact and still managed to trip. He paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes on her. “How have you been doing that? Is your sight back?”

Ahsoka shook her head sideways, laughing before raising her gaze at him. “No, but I do believe I’m more effective blind than a fully sighted Captain who shall remain nameless…” she teased, lightheartedly.

“Very funny, Commander,” said Rex, rolling his eyes, unable to keep smiling before looking around at the darkened woods. “It’s hard to see anything out here at this hour. Even my night-vision is having trouble with all this fluorescent vegetation confusing the scopes. I’m basically walking around blindly.”

“Not entirely,” she said, and for a moment, Rex thought he’d offended her. “There’s more to seeing than through the eyes.”

“The Force?” guessed Rex after a moment as they continued walking.

“Partially,” said Ahsoka, hand tracing nearby trunks like she could see them with her very eyes. “Even without the Force, I can still sense my surroundings. And you can do the same. Just follow your gut.”

“Easy for you to say, Commander,” replied Rex after a burst of light laughter. “You’re practically a Jedi Master.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, Captain,” said Ahsoka, giving him a cheery look over her shoulder.

They kept walking on until Ahsoka froze in her tracks. Rex pulled out his other blaster and followed after her when she hid behind a trunk, her hand help up to Rex to standby. He looked over his shoulder, unable to see movement or any noise of any sort to suggest a threat wandering nearby.

“I don’t have visuals,” reported Rex, pressing his back against the tree again. He looked across to Ahsoka who narrowed her eyes on the ground, attentive.

“They’re circling around,” stated Ahsoka. “About 30 units. Along with that tank.”

“How far off?” asked Rex, looking out again, cursing the fluorescent flora for messing with his night-vision.

“Not far. They're travelling down a trail,” she said, stepping out. “The area is too restricted here. If we can get close enough to them, we can pick them off easily while they’re out in the open. I pull them forward, you blast them. We’ll use the thick foliage for cover.”

“What about that tank?”

“Just stay out of its range,” she said before casting a quick look his way. “Does a number on the eyes.”

“Good to see your sense of humour is still intact,” said Rex before following after her, running straight for the enemy.

They crept closer until they were close enough, crouching low as they watched the droids march the main road. Ahsoka wondered how those droids hadn’t already alarmed the troopers back at the camp with all that clanking. Every step those B1-units took was like a rattle, and Ahsoka was almost overwhelmed by the noise and vibrations. But she kept focused, knowing she couldn’t mess up now. It was much easier when it was quiet. She could sense the vibration of the energy field every living thing waved off when there were no loud droids in the area to disturb and trick her senses. She remained low, hears perked, sensing the vibrations in the soil at her feet. She turned to Rex, standing by for her orders.

“Ready?” she said to which Rex rattled his blasters, aiming at the unsuspecting droids.

Ahsoka focused, reaching her hands out. Startled radio waves rang in the air as Ahsoka pulled two B1-units forward, lifting them high in the air for Rex to have a clean shot. Fire went off as Rex blasted their circuits. Ahsoka repeated the process, having her own fun by crushing a few insides out before letting them drop back on the ground. The droids had seen the source of the enemy fire and were approaching their position, blasting away their red plasma, missing them by a lot. They had taken out almost half the platoon before they had to run.

“We have to get out of here,” said Rex, twisting around to fire a couple more shots. “It’s too dark to see anything and we can’t stay in hiding forever.”

“No, we’re not,” countered Ahsoka, hands balled into fists at her sides. “If we keep running, we’ll lead them right to base. We have to fight and throw them off our backs _now_.”

“Commander—”

“That’s an order, Rex,” she snapped before jumping out into the open.

“Ahsoka!” he shouted, reaching a hand out to grab her before she placed herself right in the pathway of a blast, but she was too quick and leaped onto the pathway, facing off against those droids without as much of a cover. She grabbed her lightsabers, igniting them up before twirling them in front of her in a defensive position.

She closed her eyes, breathing in. She sensed every footstep, every trigger pulled. She sensed the energy from those incoming shots, and following her gut and trusting in the Force, she twirled her lightsabers, the green and yellow flashing as she blocked every shot, deflecting them back at her foe and taking them out.

Rex watched her deflect every single shot and couldn’t help himself but stand speechless for a moment. He joined her side, blasting off those droids. He positioned himself behind her while she blocked the enemy fire. He took every window she offered. They were making progress, despite it being a terrible plan according to Rex. It was the loud rattle as gears locked into place that had Rex feel a shiver run down his spine.

That tank.

“Ahsoka, we have to move!” he shouted over the fire. The Jedi Padawan kept blocking the shots while she backed off, making sure they’d have an opening to make a run for it without risking getting shot in the back.

She retrieved and followed after Rex. She worked her legs, feeling the mud under her boots splash with each stride. The deafening roar as the tank fired had Ahsoka praying to the Force they’d be able to outrun this one. She sensed the blast’s energy grow closer, and before she had the chance to turn around and redirect it, she was knocked off her feet. She met the ground hard as the gust shoved her down. She felt the cold mud against her skin and shook her head, hearing a loud splattering sound as the mud that had levitated landed back down. She blinked, chasing the ringing in her ears while she slowly regained her senses. More shots fired, and Ahsoka pushed herself off the ground, trying to find Rex -- trying to sense his presence nearby. The sound of voices belonging to none other than clones had Ahsoka confused for a moment before relief washed over her.

Troopers.

She heard more blasting and shouting, followed by a massive explosion. Cheers filled the air before the quiet atmosphere settled back down again. 

“Commander!” called a trooper, and Ahsoka felt a hand close on her arm, helping her back on her feet. She sensed the trooper, recognizing Fives. “Are you alright?”

“I… I’m okay,” she confirmed, nodding firmly. Her head snapped around, still trying to sense Rex nearby. But his presence was absent to her, and she feared the worst had happened. “Can you see Rex?”

Despite taking care of the remaining droids and that tank, the troopers still twisted on their heels, blasters at the ready when they heard more shots fired coming from the side of the road into the undergrowth. Blue light sparked up the darkness before everything went quiet again, settling an eerie impression.

“Come on!” called Fives, gesturing to follow after him as he jogged for the undergrowth toward the source of those blasts, ducking and jumping roots. He held his blaster out, ready for anything to jump out. He panted under his helmet, twisting on his heels while he analyzed his surroundings, noting the blasted droids laying on the ground. When nothing happened, he activated his thermal vision for more clues, studying the ground before ending up finding an area where a struggle had occurred. The other troopers, along with Ahsoka, joined him, weapons aimed at the lurking darkness.

“Fives?” called Kix and Fives turned to the medic. “You might want to see this.”

Fives put away his blasters before hesitantly approaching Kix presenting him his find. Fives couldn't help his stomach from churching when his eyes landed on the Captain’s helmet laying on the ground without its owner anywhere in sight.

Fives swallowed thickly. “Have you found the body?” he asked.

“We’ve checked the area over,” reported Tup, standing straight. “There’s no sign of Captain Rex, sir.”

“But he was just with me!” said Ahsoka, taking a step forward. Her eyes were wide as feels caught up to her. “He didn’t just disappear! We have to find him.”

The clones exchanged an uncertain glance through the visor of their helmets.

“Sir… with all due respect, we were sent out as a search party and have only two hours left before we need to return to base,” said Jesse, slow and hesitant, disliking the idea as much as she did. “I don’t think the General will take it lightly if we—”

“I don’t _care_ what Anakin says!” snapped Ahsoka, unable to keep her emotions from clouding her judgment. “Rex is missing! Those droids must’ve taken him or we already would've found him.”

“She’s got a point, men,” said Fives, turning to his brothers, sighing. “We can’t abandon one of our own. It’s our code.”

“But what about the General?” asked Tup.

“You heard Jesse, Tup,” said Fives, gesturing to the trooper. “We still got some time. So let’s make every second of it count.”

“Well, wherever those Clankers are now, they can’t be that far off,” said Jesse, looking out at the undergrowth.

“But what could those droids want with the Captain?” asked Tup. “Assuming they have him?”

“Separatist Forces hold history files of every General and their legion to measure and predict outcomes and choose the most beneficial alternative when facing off in battle,” explained Ahsoka slowly, sighing regretfully.

“Alright, but what could they want with the Captain exactly?” wondered Fives, shaking his head sideways in confusion. 

“Assuming they knew it’s General Skywalker leading this invasion, they’d have his file opened up,” continued Ahsoka, gesticulating delicately. “They’d know all of his preferable tactics and set of skills as well as his weaknesses, some that shouldn’t exist. They’ll know about the attachment he has to his officers, and I have no doubt they’ll use that against us all.”

Silence settled as everyone stood uncomfortably, taking in the new information.

Ahsoka sighed again; crossing her arms over her chest while a shiver travelled her body, leaving her cold and scared.

“They’ll use Rex against Anakin,” she said. “He’ll probably serve as leverage if not else.”

Jesse took off his helmet with one hand, stepping forward. “We cannot let that happen,” he said, leaving no place for argument. “We’ll find him, Commander. You have our word.”

“I know,” said Ahsoka, nodding and smiling kindly at the trooper, an equally determined expression painting her face. “But I’m coming with you.”

“Commander,” said Kix, his tone disallowing. “I strongly advice returning to camp. I’ll escort you back—”

“Not a chance, Kix,” denied Ahsoka, cutting him off before he could ever finish. “I’m not going back knowing my Captain’s out there with those Separatists.”

“Sir… when it comes to the health of the team...” said Kix, obviously uncomfortable giving out orders to his Commander as a medic clone. “I respectfully request that you return to camp, where you can be properly treated.” He wore a sympathetic look, studying her narrowed irises. “You’re injured.”

“And I said: I’m coming with you,” argued Ahsoka, lifting her chin commandingly, her tone dry.

“It’s useless to try, Kix,” said Fives from where he stood, pulling out a blaster and making sure it was set right before turning around to get a start on the tracks visible through his thermal vision. “She’ll have it her way one way or another.”

Kix was hesitant but sighed and followed along. “Fine,” he said, adjusting his aid-kit at his back while Ahsoka walked next to him, pleased. Kix gestured down at her warningly. “But stay out of range if things heat up. I can’t be held responsible if anything happens to you. If those Clankers don’t kill me, the General certainly will.”

“Loud and clear,” replied Ahsoka.


	6. Chapter 6

Watching that blast descend on them like a meteor had been a horrifying sight and Rex was glad Ahsoka had been blinded so she wouldn’t have to experience the same feeling he had at that moment. Before he could shout a warning out to Ahsoka, the energy bolt went off right in their backs, knocking them a few yards away from each other. Rex considered themselves lucky to have gotten a good distance away from the shot’s destination. He met the ground once more but was quick to recover. He closed his hands on his blasters, twisting around in the mud to fire off the approaching droids, their red plasma blasts flying one bit too close to his liking. He looked out to Ahsoka, noticing her struggling to recover. He’d had an easier time with the armour shielding him from the impacts.

The droids were coming their way, and he couldn’t protect both of them. Instinctively, Rex rose to his feet, firing multiple shots the droids’ way to get their attention while he moved away from the Commander. He dragged the enemy’s attention on him and off Ahsoka while she had yet to return to her senses. The B1-units turned his way, firing. Rex ducked their shots, responding with his own while he moved closer to the edge of the path.

“You want me?!” he shouted at them through his helmet. “Then come and get me!” Rex ducked beneath the vines, making his way through the dark undergrowth with nothing but the fluorescent glow to show him the way.

“Get him!” he heard a droid’s vocals shout and Rex was satisfied he’d gotten those remaining droids on his tail.

Rex heard a loud and concerning explosion go off nearby and immediately thought of the tank. But he didn’t have the opportunity to reflect furthermore on the question as he turned around fighting off the dozen of B1-units coming his way through the trees, blasters aimed at him. He held out his own weapons, turning and twisting on his heels, panting.

“Surrender!” ordered a droid as they closed in on him, giving him a very poor chance of an escape. “You’re surrounded, _clone_.”

Rex fired a few more shots, blowing up three to four more droids before getting struck with a shock that made it feel like all of his pain receptors were going off at once. Rex yelped and groaned painfully as the shock travelled his body. He tried to fight it and resist but the blue sparks still crawled across his skin until he was collapsing to his knees and falling forward from the stun. The impact with the ground sent his helmet rolling off. He remained motionless, passed out. Metallic fingers closed on his wrists and pulled him forward, dragging him like deadweight as the units moved out. If Rex had been conscious, he’d struggled against the droids until they decided to simply kill him off. But he wasn’t, and there was nothing he could do to prevent ending up a captive to those Separatist units.

…

Droid prints in the mud rapidly confirmed to Fives that the Captain had been taken. They’d been following the tracks, his trusty thermal vision snitching on the Captain’s prints along with the droid units’.

They came upon a ridge and Fives held up his hand, indicating his party to keep low as they neared closer. They listened to the sound of machines ringing loudly down the hill. The group approached, crouched, and looked out at the enemy base once more. They technically shouldn’t still be sneaking around this place since their reconnaissance mission, but plans had changed.

“That base is triply protected for its size,” said Tup, turning to Fives. In other words, he was asking if the ARC Trooper had lost his mind thinking they could engage those forces on their own with no support. “How are we gonna rescue the Captain? Our position will be compromised before we even make it past those shields.”

“Not as long as we stay under those trees,” said Fives, gesturing above them at the thick flora. “The density of the vegetation here will be impenetrable with standard scopes. That’s where we went wrong last time; we didn’t consider thermal detectors.”

“Rex also said the fluorescent lighting the plants generate blinded his night vision,” added Ahsoka, tapping the side of her head as if she were wearing a helmet of her own. “We could use that to our advantage as well.”

“Good thinking, Commander,” said Fives, nodding.

“Alright, but what do you suggest?” asked Jesse, dragging the other troopers’ attention on him. “It’s not by hiding out here that we’ll save the day. Kriff, we don’t even know where the Captain is, to begin with.”

“Well, he’s down there somewhere,” said Fives.

“Well, I can’t see him,” said Jesse. “I can’t pick up any heat signature from here.”

“He could be anywhere,” added Kix, shaking his head sideways.

Ahsoka listened to them talk and focused, closing her eyes tight. She shut out their voices, shut out every other sound, and concentrated.

Visions from someone else’s perspective flashed in her mind as if it were her own. She could see. She was looking around frantically, walls grey and cold. She was rushing for a closing metallic gate, slamming her shoulder in an attempt to get out. But the effort was in vain. She retreated, walking around in circles, shouting out and swearing.

Ahsoka opened her eyes wide again, breathing in sharply.

“He’s in a cell,” she said over the troopers’ argument, silencing them. She felt their eyes land on her.

“How do you know?” asked Fives, frowning in confusion behind the visor of his helmet.

“Um, Jedi, mate…” said Jesse, shouldering him playfully.

“They have him locked inside a security cell,” continued Ahsoka, recalling her visions and what she had seen, trying to list off as many details to help them out. “Which means he’s probably in that building… right over there.” She felt the soil, sensing his presence and the position of the buildings below. She gestured out, hoping she was pointing out the right direction and not fooling the troopers and herself included.

Fives narrowed his eyes on the structure below made of steel located at the edge of the base. It did look reinforced, similar to a barrack. He took the Commander’s word for it, knowing they were low on time and options alike.

“It won’t be easy getting in there,” noted Tup.

“No it won’t,” agreed Jesse.

“We’re open for suggestions…” said Fives.

“There’s no way we can sneak past their scopes or infiltrate,” said Ahsoka, pushing herself up from the ground to stand before making her way down the ridge. The clones followed, brushing the dust off their armour. Ahsoka reached her hand to her chin thoughtfully. “They have thermal cameras and a lot of droids. We’ll have to engage on a full forward attack. Use the element of surprise.”

“Forget it,” denied Jesse, waving her away disapprovingly. “That’s suicide. I can see the tanks from here. We’ll be blasted to bits before we ever make it past their walls.”

“That’s another thing,” said Ahsoka, crossing her arms over her chest. “Those tanks aren’t regular AATs. They’re the reason the Separatists are here. They’re developing new weapons and testing them out in different environments, and this is just another operative field for them. The projectiles are developed to be bright enough to blind you. So if the blast doesn’t kill its targets, at least the enemy becomes vulnerable and easy to pick off.”

“Then, what are you proposing, Commander?” asked Fives, coming beside her.

“Those projectiles can’t do me much more damage,” she said, with a smirk on her lips. “I’ll lure those tanks away as a distraction while you penetrate their defences and get Rex out of there.”

“Are you sure that’ll work?” asked Fives uncertainly.

“You better hope so.”


	7. Chapter 7

Rex rammed into the door repeatedly, hitting his shoulder against the unbendable mental despite knowing the effort was in vain. He cursed, running his hand across his skull, his back arched while he walked in circles restlessly, shouting and slamming his fist against the walls. Rex had never been inside a Separatist cell before. He never thought he’d end up in a cell at all. The light in the ceiling was cold as it bounced off the steel walls. He had to find a way out of here. He couldn’t allow himself to be tortured for information. Couldn't allow having his mind forced to speak by Sith tricks or let himself be used against the General and the rest of the 501st. He’d rather die trying to escape than be encouraged to sit back with his life spared. He couldn’t have it any other way. Rex faced the gate again before pacing up to it and slamming his fists against the door, releasing the accumulating energy of his frustration.

The gate slid up open and Rex backed off, startled. The two droids guarding his cell entered, blasters raised.

“Stop that,” said the droids and Rex rose his hands on each side of his head, eyeing the machines with pure spite. But he didn’t hesitate with his decision before ramming into one of those two droids, ignoring the complaints from the unit as he snatched the blaster out of its grasp and used its body as a shield as the other droid started blasting off.

He was too fast and unpredictable for those models. He quickly had both droids devoid of all artificial life on the ground. He rolled his shoulder before stepping outside, looking out at the corridor for more guards. He heard the unmistakable clanking and dove back in, pressing his back against the wall in a blind spot, and Rex awaited those droids to step in unsuspecting at the sight of two destroyed B1-units. The patrols walked in, and Rex blasted them off too before stepping out again, shutting the gates behind him.

B1-units. So predictable.

He held the blasters out, glaring down the corridor.

When he confirmed clear, he turned around and broke into a jog, his feet thudding against the metal floor reflecting his image. He halted and pressed against the wall as he heard more clanking. He waited until it faded away, his heartbeat echoing in his ears. He meant to take off again, but the sound of blasting made him freeze in his tracks again, and Rex felt his stomach churn in puzzlement.

He leaned and swallowed thickly before jumping out in the open, blasters ready to fire at the end of his arms. He was caught unsuspecting as he ran right into another clone trooper. Rex collided with a muffled groan before falling over forward, dropping his blasters. The Captain pushed himself off in a hurry before looking down, rapidly recognizing Fives’ paint job on the helmet.

“Fives!” exclaimed Rex, pure surprise unmasked.

“Captain!” called Tup, rushing in to help past the blown up droids in the hallway.

Rex pushed himself back on his feet and offered his brother a hand, helping him straighten up. He couldn't admit that he wasn’t glad to see them, but he also worried for them, being this deep into enemy territory.

“What are you boys doing here?” asked Rex, hiding his relief and replacing his expression with a stern one. He counted them, recognizing Fives, Jesse, Tup and Kix. When he saw Ahsoka was missing, he felt his breathing accelerate. “Where’s the Commander?”

“Don’t worry about her, Captain,” reassured Fives, slamming a gloved-hand on his shoulder pad before offering him back his weapons. “She’s got our backs.”

“ _What_ do you mean?” asked Rex, highly disliking the statement. 

A loud and powerful explosion outside had them all exchange a glance before they rushed out to see what was the cause of the disturbance. They kept low on the edge of the base, watching as the place swarm with droids. Tanks, positioned on the edges of the camp, aimed down at the units and fired, blasting the machines to bits. The flames flashed bright and thick smoke followed, lighting up the night.

Fives elbowed Jesse.

“See?” he said, gesturing out at the massive destruction while everything nearby burst as well, completely destroying everything those Separatists had made of a base. “I told you she could handle it.”

“We still have to get out of this hell hole!” said Kix from behind, urging them to get a move-on the moment they were done admiring the show. As if to support Kix’s statement, blasts shot their way as surviving droids fired.

“You shouldn’t have come here, Fives!” said Rex, blasting off the enemy, prompting them to move out while he held them off.

“For once, Captain, this wasn’t all me!” replied Fives, helping him out until they had a big enough window to make a break for it. “General sent us to go after you!”

“You expect me to believe that, soldier?”

“I may have gone beyond orders, sir,” agreed Fives before snickering to himself, his smirk wide under his helmet.

“Don’t go too hard on him, sir,” said Kix when they broke into a run, rushing out of the base walls before more units spotted them and tried to take them out. “Commander Tano played her part.”

Rex sighed, shaking his head sideways. “I should’ve known,” he said under his breath, disapproving of the Commander’s decision to go down this risky course of action just to save his skin.

Still, he couldn’t help but smirk, feeling somewhat grateful and of importance to the Commander for her to put her neck on the line. She was all the way out here, blind, just to save him -- a clone -- from certain pain and death. He mentally slapped himself, focusing on getting out of this place catching fire behind them.

They reached the cover of the trees before turning around to watch the base light up the night as brightly as a shot fired in the dark. Whines and crashes filled the air, killing the quiet and stillness of the hours of darkness. Rex winced as he watched the place get completely destroyed. The anti-aircraft cannons fired on each other, the resistance in the rotation suggestive of Ahsoka’s Force abilities at work. This was not at all what General Skywalker had in mind when he planned on destroying the Separatist base… But what was done was done, and Rex smiled to himself at the mission to be reported with zero casualties.

The team fist-bumped each other, smacked each other’s backs, cheered and threw fists at the sky before moving out again, leaving the chaotic sight behind them.

They worked their way through the undergrowth until they found the main path again. They made sure no droids were still roaming the place before stepping out into the open. It was quiet out here but for the peaceful nightlife. They met up with Ahsoka who walked their way, at ease with her balance; trusting the earth at her feet not to give away at her weight. Rex didn’t understand how she did it. She kept surprising him every mission and Rex couldn’t help but smile when his eyes landed on her.

“Nice work, Commander,” said Fives, patting her on the shoulder in a brotherly manner. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

“No,” said Ahsoka, shaking her head, her gratefulness evident despite her blank stare. “Thank you, for helping me get my Captain back.”

Rex was more than glad to have his helmet back on so they couldn’t see him stare. The urge to scratch the back of his neck uncomfortably was almost impossible to resist. But Rex still managed to firmly nod, keeping it professional, especially in front of his brothers present as witnesses. Fives elbowed him playfully before proceeding to address their new problem.

“We’ll surely have a lot of explaining to do,” said Fives, reaching his hands to his waist.

“But, we’re right on schedule,” noted Jesse as they started making their way back, following the now safe path.

“Pretty sure that explosion will be a much bigger concern to the General than us returning back home way past curfew, Jesse boy,” said Kix lightheartedly, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder.

“I’ll take the heat from Anakin,” reassured Ahsoka, referring to the events that were probably never supposed to occur. “Just don’t overshare what happened. If Master Skywalker knew we were inside enemy walls…”

“Don’t worry, Commander,” said Jesse, smiling under his helmet. “You can count on us.”

“I’m just glad we could get you back safe and sound, Rex,” said Ahsoka, turning her head Rex’s way while they walked side by side.

Rex swallowed thickly, feeling his heart pump faster beneath his armour. “I suppose I owe you my life, then,” he simply said.

“I think we’re pretty even at this point,” said Ahsoka cheerily to which Rex turned away, unable to resist the pull on the corner of his lips.

Ahsoka didn’t need to see to feel his emotions. They flowed like a river breaking out of the ice during the spring season on serene planets. She smiled to herself, feeling the warmth of the waves caress her tenderly as she travelled back to the base, accompanied by her most trusted team.


	8. Chapter 8

Anakin had never known such relief when he saw the search party return safely along with Ahsoka and Rex. He rushed through the camp, shoving his datapad to the nearest clone.

“Ahsoka!” he called out, grabbing her by the upper arms before hugging her tightly. “Thank the Force you’re alright.”

Ahsoka reclaimed her balance after he let her go, surprised by her Master’s unmasked affection and attachment for her. Rex walked up to the Commander’s side, exchanging a firm nod with the General. Anakin smiled at him, pride in his eyes.

“You too, Rex,” said Anakin, closing his hand on his arm in a manly gesture. “What happened out there? Were you hurt?”

“I’m all fine, General,” confirmed Rex, retrieving his hand to his side and nodding before turning to the Jedi Padawan who raised her void gaze at him. “It’s the Commander I’m worried about. She suffered a blast from one of those tanks, and, well…”

“We figured out the reason those Separatists were on this planet,” said Ahsoka, addressing what was most important according to her. “They are designing new weapons and testing them out here.”

“Commander Tano was caught in the path of those newly designed missiles, and…” said Rex, gesturing at the Padawan who finally rose her gaze at her Master. She guessed at best Anakin’s eye level, eyes darting rapidly from left to right uncertainly. She could feel the strong emotions, and she quickly picked up on Anakin’s heart-drop. 

“Ahsoka…” exhaled Anakin, delicately placing his hand on her shoulder. “Your eyes…”

Ahsoka lowered her head, sorry.

“The important thing is that we’re all safe,” she said without a hint of hesitation. She valued the lives of her soldiers much more than her sight. She sensed Rex’s eyes on her and turned to him. “I couldn’t have done it without Rex.”

“What about that explosion?” asked Anakin, turning his Captain’s way. “I sent gunships to investigate the cause. You wouldn’t happen to have something to do with that, would you?”

“No idea what you’re talking about, Master,” replied Ahsoka, shrugging her shoulders and rolling her eyes excessively with a smirk worn on her lips. She confirmed his suspicion right away.

Anakin chuckled. The initiation was not part of the command he’d accorded to his Padawan, but in the end, destroying the Separatist base was their ultimate goal to bring the occupation to a swift end.

“Don’t speak of this to the Admiral,” said Anakin, waving his index at her face. “It’ll be my neck on the line otherwise.”

“Understood, Master,” said Ahsoka, nodding considerately.

“Rex,” said Anakin, straightening up with his hands reached behind his back as he addressed the Captain. “Take her to the medical bay. I want to know the full extent of the damage.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” replied Rex.

Anakin moved along to deal with his duties. Rex was surprised when Ahsoka grabbed hold of his arm for guidance as he led her to the bay. He knew she could manage on her own, yet she still decided to hold on to him for assistance.

Kix was already back where he belonged and took a closer look at Ahsoka now that they had no other concerning issues to deal with first. With the proper tools, he was able to analyze Ahsoka’s condition and give a full and accurate report concerning the damage she had suffered to lose her sight. Anakin had joined them too to be updated on the report, standing patiently with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Well, there isn't much more I can do,” said Kix while Rex waited patiently. Ahsoka sat on the edge of one of the many empty bunk beds while she was treated. “I infused bacta directly into the system to encourage the healing process of the eye tissue, but the rest of it is up to mere rest. You’ll have to stay on the sidelines until you’ve completely recovered. And most importantly, cover your eyes. Light can still penetrate through the iris, all the way to the brain; we’ll want to avoid further complications.”

“Hear that, Ahsoka?” said Anakin, cocking his eyebrow at her. “You need your rest, so no physical exertion.”

“Yeah, I got that. Thank you, Master,” replied Ahsoka sarcastically.

“The other guys returned from the enemy camp,” said Anakin, giving Rex and Kix a glance. “Looks like that explosion cleared the whole sector. That means our work here is done. I contacted the _Resolute_ ; they’ll be arriving with transports soon enough.”

Ahsoka rose her head at her Master as he turned his back on them and left again to shout more orders, preparing the men for the arrival of the ships.

Ahsoka leaned back with her hands pressing on the bed. She swung her legs, hinting how bored she was already. 

“Well, the next few weeks sound promising…” she sighed.

“Eh, don’t worry too much about boredom, Commander,” said Kix, typing some more on the datapad in hand. “Pretty sure the boys will make it a pleasure to keep you company while you recover.”

“I guess that’s a positive,” she said, smiling to herself.

Kix looked Rex’s way while the Captain stood still and quiet, helmet still tucked under his arm like he was merely a witness unallowed to speak during an exchange of higher-ranked. Rex met his brother’s gaze and Kix smiled before putting away the pad.

“Well, I have some other tasks to attend to...” he said, patting Rex’s chest plate encouragingly. “I’ll be right back.”

Rex watched him exit, listening to the doors swoosh while they opened and closed, leaving him alone with Ahsoka. Silence settled as he turned to face Ahsoka again. He kicked himself mentally, shaking his head sideways. He approached the Commander, settling himself next to her. He placed his helmet next to him before he turned to face her, noticing how attentive she was to his every move.

“How… uh… A-are you… okay?” he stammered, swallowing thickly. He breathed in, trying to relax.

“I’ll be alright, Rex,” she said, shaking her head sideways with a smirk. “You can stop worrying now. Just gotta give it time, I guess.”

“Well, I, _never_ stop worrying. That’s just the way it is,” said Rex, all too wrapped up in that moment to realize the words that had just slipped out of his mouth.

“Yeah… guess that goes for me too,” she said before scooching over closer to him. Rex went stiff, unknowing how to react. He sighed, thinking back of everything they had gone through.

“I’m… sorry this happened to you,” said Rex, feeling the guilt slowly creep in his mind for not having been able to prevent this from happening to her.

“Don’t,” said Ahsoka, cutting him off quick and dry. She refused to allow him to feel that way. She felt his emotions and felt her heart tighten.

She reached a hand to his face, running her fingers against the rough skin of his jawline before cupping his cheek delicately against her palm. Rex felt slightly startled at the tender touch. He couldn’t recall any time he’d been caressed so gently. The feeling overwhelmed him and Rex pressed his hand against hers, closing his eyes to take in the sensation. He breathed in and out deeply, keeping the contact for as long as he could. Rex felt like bursting when her lips met his, locking him in a sweet and tender kiss. He felt like time had completely stopped. Maybe he was dreaming; fooled by a false reality. But when she pulled away and stared into his eyes, he knew this was no delusion.

“I… never thought you felt that way,” he said, still taking it in. He stared down into the eyes smiling up at him despite their emptiness. She chuckled lightly, reaching her other hand to hold him. She felt his freshly shaved face under her fingertips, the rough sensation making her want to share some of her tenderness with him. 

“And I’m the one who’s blind?” she simply said back before pulling him in another gentle but more passionate kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck to feel closer while he pressed his hand on her waist, praying to the Force she'd never let him go.


End file.
